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Re: Hoosier Hoops

I've yet to hear any fan-on here at least-tell anyone how great IU is. Like I said, I get the skepticism. Heck I'm one of the most irrationally optimistic and naive people around and I'm skeptical that this will continue.

But take away IU's previous three years, and IU would absolutely be ranked in the top 5 without anyone raising an eyebrow.

With that said, I'm not sure I understand that your prediction is that much different than most on this board. I believe that IU will lose a few games which it is favored. Though the schedule opens up a little bit after the visit to Columbus, I can see IU losing back to back games or 3 out of 4. And if IU is out of the tournament by the end of the first weekend, I'll be disappointed but not terribly surprised.

Most IU fans are more excited because this year's team wasn't supposed to make the NCAA tournament, although I predicted it would. So the fans' excitement isn't that this year's team is going to be great necessarily, but rather if this year's team has overacheived, think of what happens when they replace Daniel Moore, Tom Pritchard, and Verdell Jones III with the top level recruiting class that is coming in.

Even if IU went .500 for the rest of the regular season and finished 10-8 in the B1G Ten, they'd have 1 more win than the last two years combined. If they continue on the path that I'd expect, they'd be in position to win 28 games (including the B1G Ten and NCAA tournaments) which would tie the last three seasons. So it's not how great are we. It's how lousy were we and how much better is it to be a top team.

Of course it doesn't actually work that way, but that never gets in the way of fans' assumptions.

Last edited by Hoosier Red; 01-12-2012 at 10:12 AM.

When people say that I donít know what Iím talking about when it comes to sports or writing, I think: Man, you should see me in the rest of my life.
---Joe Posnanski

Re: Hoosier Hoops

Originally Posted by traderumor

40 years of watching the game, seen dozens of December/January flashes come and go. I don't troll. What do I have on this board, over 15,000 posts? The Hoosiers will suddenly lose 2 or 3 in a row, lose to teams they should not in the latter part of the season, and make an early exit from the tourney. That's my prediction. You can revisit it later.

BTW, I guess IU has been off the radar for so long, I am shocked to learn how much the fans like to repeat "have I told you how great we are?" Sort of like Kramer's annoying girlfriend, Toby: "great, really, really great!!!"

I present

Originally Posted by traderumor

Right, so how does IU winning those games at home prove their strength?

And UK was clearly a different team in the tourney than the one that compiled the road record.

Top 10 teams, which seems to be where IU fans think they deserve to be ranked, will have some good road wins on their resume. Their first test against MSU was a loss. They have another one coming up against Ohio State. They win that game, then I think they have an argument for being an upper echelon team.

Right now, I just think they are a hot team which I expect to regress as the season wears on.

I'm saying based on what THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE, they are easily a top 10 if not top 5 team in the nation. No one in the nation has a better resume at this point of the season. I agree that IU is just a really hot team right now and due for regression, but to discredit what has already been shown because they haven't reached a standard that no one in the nation has, is a bit much. IU has beaten #1, #2, #13 teams at home, decent wins on the road at NC State and Penn St, neutral court wins against ND and Butler, and held a lead late in what turned into a rout at Mich St. Who has done better at this point?

"Last week I helped my friend stay put. It's a lot easier'n helpin' 'em move. I just went over to his house and made sure that he did not start to load **** into a truck."

Re: Hoosier Hoops

Originally Posted by thatcoolguy_22

I present

I'm saying based on what THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE, they are easily a top 10 if not top 5 team in the nation. No one in the nation has a better resume at this point of the season. I agree that IU is just a really hot team right now and due for regression, but to discredit what has already been shown because they haven't reached a standard that no one in the nation has, is a bit much. IU has beaten #1, #2, #13 teams at home, decent wins on the road at NC State and Penn St, neutral court wins against ND and Butler, and held a lead late in what turned into a rout at Mich St. Who has done better at this point?

Small correction, Butler was at home.

When people say that I donít know what Iím talking about when it comes to sports or writing, I think: Man, you should see me in the rest of my life.
---Joe Posnanski

Re: Hoosier Hoops

Originally Posted by thatcoolguy_22

I present

I'm saying based on what THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE, they are easily a top 10 if not top 5 team in the nation. No one in the nation has a better resume at this point of the season. I agree that IU is just a really hot team right now and due for regression, but to discredit what has already been shown because they haven't reached a standard that no one in the nation has, is a bit much. IU has beaten #1, #2, #13 teams at home, decent wins on the road at NC State and Penn St, neutral court wins against ND and Butler, and held a lead late in what turned into a rout at Mich St. Who has done better at this point?

Really, whatever. I don't think you understand "trolling" to use that term to describe me. Apparently it means "someone who is not as impressed with IU as their fans and annoyed at the IU faithful's response to a step forward in the program."

Who cares about rankings in January? I am evaluating and really only care about what I think a team will look like come Big Dance time. If IU fans want to revel in beating a team that was ranked this at some point in time, so be it, but its really not much of an argument for the overall quality of their team. For example, I'm much less impressed with the Buckeyes win over Duke since it is apparent that they were ranked too high, but they were top 5 when the Bucks played them. So what? Right now, the Buckeyes would be lucky to make Sweet 16, but I certainly expect them to improve from this point. And that is what really matters, how you are playing at tournament time.

40 years of watching the game, seen dozens of December/January flashes come and go. I don't troll. What do I have on this board, over 15,000 posts? The Hoosiers will suddenly lose 2 or 3 in a row, lose to teams they should not in the latter part of the season, and make an early exit from the tourney. That's my prediction. You can revisit it later.

BTW, I guess IU has been off the radar for so long, I am shocked to learn how much the fans like to repeat "have I told you how great we are?" Sort of like Kramer's annoying girlfriend, Toby: "great, really, really great!!!"

Except no one is really doing that. If you find people talking about being excited about IU basketball annoying maybe stay out of the IU basketball thread? What do you expect?

You're making it sound as if we expect a final four run or something when no one has come close to that.

Yes we are excited about wins in Dec/Jan over #s 1,2 and 13. Name me one fan base in the country that wouldn't be and especially with the last three seasons IU has had.

I dont know about this flash in the pan stuff either. If its flash in the pan to jump up in the top ten but finish the season between 15-20, then I guess they are a flash in the pan. But if you can't see that this team has real talent, and you think they're a borderline tournament team then I don't know what to say for your 40 years of watching basketball. You may not want it to happen but I have to tell you with this team and the classes that are coming in, IU basketball is back will be battling OSU for Big Ten supremacy in years to come.

Re: Hoosier Hoops

Except no one is really doing that. If you find people talking about being excited about IU basketball annoying maybe stay out of the IU basketball thread? What do you expect?

You're making it sound as if we expect a final four run or something when no one has come close to that.

Yes we are excited about wins in Dec/Jan over #s 1,2 and 13. Name me one fan base in the country that wouldn't be and especially with the last three seasons IU has had.

I dont know about this flash in the pan stuff either. If its flash in the pan to jump up in the top ten but finish the season between 15-20, then I guess they are a flash in the pan. But if you can't see that this team has real talent, and you think they're a borderline tournament team then I don't know what to say for your 40 years of watching basketball. You may not want it to happen but I have to tell you with this team and the classes that are coming in, IU basketball is back will be battling OSU for Big Ten supremacy in years to come.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I said neither. I have not spoken to the talent level, which I would say is a tick above average. Kinda reminds me of the first Matta OSU team that overachieved, the whole greater than the sum of the parts thing. Also, note that I only predicted an early exit from the tourney, maybe a sweet 16 entry. I haven't said anything about "borderline tournament team." I also did not say anything about the future past this season, so no idea where you conclude I said "flash in the pan." If you're gonna rip me, at least properly represent what I did say.

As for the future, ok, bring it on. Although I don't have much love for Crean, so I expect any gains to be short lived.

Re: Hoosier Hoops

I think IU is playing above their heads right now but they're going to be getting a couple more nice pieces next year and should be a dangerous team from now on.

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

Calipari is not, nor has he ever been accused or "caught", cheating. He himself turned in one of his players (Camby) for dealing with an agent to get one Final Four overturned. The other is all on the NCAA and Rose. (IF Rose cheated.)

"Cheering for Kentucky is like watching Star Wars and hoping Darth Vader chokes an ewok"

Re: Hoosier Hoops

Originally Posted by traderumor

I said neither. I have not spoken to the talent level, which I would say is a tick above average. Kinda reminds me of the first Matta OSU team that overachieved, the whole greater than the sum of the parts thing. Also, note that I only predicted an early exit from the tourney, maybe a sweet 16 entry. I haven't said anything about "borderline tournament team." I also did not say anything about the future past this season, so no idea where you conclude I said "flash in the pan." If you're gonna rip me, at least properly represent what I did say.

As for the future, ok, bring it on. Although I don't have much love for Crean, so I expect any gains to be short lived.

My bad about the "flash in the pan" thing. I could swear I read that somewhere. I guess I just mentally added that...I don't know. Sorry about that.

As for the rest, well where's the "sugar crash" gonna be? You think it'll be an early tourney exit, maybe a sweet sixteen run.....that's the same thing most of us have been predicting.

You say we're talking about how great we are....but we're not. We think this season will end up about the same as you do....the difference is we are EXCITED about that. Yes excited to be a tourney team, excited to maybe win a game or two. We see this team as on the way up. I'm sorry if the excitement annoys you but again what do you expect from an IU basketball thread? Also, again, tell me what fanbase in the country wouldn't be excited if their team had the wins that IU has had?

I guess the fact that Crean annoys you on the sideline and has a stupid hair cut is where this comes from? I don't know but I don't see anything short lived about the classes that are coming in.

Re: Hoosier Hoops

Originally Posted by traderumor 40 years of watching the game, seen dozens of December/January flashes come and go. I don't troll. What do I have on this board, over 15,000 posts? The Hoosiers will suddenly lose 2 or 3 in a row, lose to teams they should not in the latter part of the season, and make an early exit from the tourney. That's my prediction. You can revisit it later.

Ah, that's where I got "flash in the pan" from. Not an exact quote but doesn't that ^ mean nearly the same thing? So if jumping up to the top 10 but finishing the season between 15-20 is a flash that comes and goes, I guess that's what we are.

Re: Hoosier Hoops

Originally Posted by Razor Shines

Ah, that's where I got "flash in the pan" from. Not an exact quote but doesn't that ^ mean nearly the same thing? So if jumping up to the top 10 but finishing the season between 15-20 is a flash that comes and goes, I guess that's what we are.

Well, I'm talking about this season regarding the "flash," never talked about the future. Not qualified, don't get wrapped up in the "we got these recruits coming in" discussions.

Regardless, glad you all are happy with the program. I'm just looking in from the outside and see a bit of giddiness over a little bit of success, sort of like the floor rush scene last season.

Not to mention all the screw jobs teams got not only in Bloomington, but on the road during the Knight years because the refs were intimidated--a little bit of bitterness coming out from my side? Perhaps After this year's game in Bloomington, I commented "What the heck? Knight isn't the coach here anymore."

Re: Hoosier Hoops

It's that ball line defense. Tell 'em Razor.

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

Calipari is not, nor has he ever been accused or "caught", cheating. He himself turned in one of his players (Camby) for dealing with an agent to get one Final Four overturned. The other is all on the NCAA and Rose. (IF Rose cheated.)

"Cheering for Kentucky is like watching Star Wars and hoping Darth Vader chokes an ewok"

Re: Hoosier Hoops

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

Traderumor certainly called it. Not sure any of us disagreed, but he called it. Ugly

Maybe 40 years of watching the game is worth something. It is easier to put that experience into practice when its not one of my teams. I didn't even know that happened until visiting here this morning. Minnesota at home, I sure wasn't thinking that. Man, was just reading a very nasty article about Tubby yesterday afternoon.

Traderumor certainly called it. Not sure any of us disagreed, but he called it. Ugly

That's the thing we all expected a game like this could happen. If we thought they were a final four team we would be very upset this morning, but I'm not that worried about it they're still the same team I thought they were yesterday.

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